


The Prince and the Doctor

by DragonFae



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Gratuitous Use of Old-Timey Medical Knowledge, Jim's Engless Meddling, M/M, Slow Build, non-consensual telepathy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-12
Updated: 2017-01-25
Packaged: 2018-09-17 03:00:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9301118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonFae/pseuds/DragonFae
Summary: Royalty, semi-medieval themed AU.Spock is a visiting prince, acting as ambassador, to Jim's kingdom. His first day in the palace, he meets a doctor whose audacious behavior and use of medicines forbidden by most of the surrounding kingdoms intrigues and attracts him. Of course problems ensue.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> My bf/irl Jim and I were discussing fav AU prompts, and it lead to me starting this. I have several chapters done already, and plans for future ones so I might aim for a weekly update schedule to keep a backlog going.

“Announcing Prince S’chn T’gai Spock, second son of the Vulcan Kingdom!” The herald must have spent days practicing how to say that, Jim mused as he stood at attention just off to the side of his mother’s throne. He himself had been practicing the salute used in Vulcan. It seemed odd that an entire kingdom wouldn’t just clasp hands or bow like normal people, but his mother had insisted he learn.

The young man that walked in looked to be about his age. Jim found himself watching his posture as he walked and wondered how anyone could hold themselves so straight without hurting their back. And what was with the hair? Were those ears pointed? No one had told him about pointed ears. It was kind of cute. Maybe he had a sister back in Vulcan he could marry. Nothing solidified a friendship between kingdoms like good old fashioned marriage of mutual convenience. 

He straightened a bit in an attempt to mimic the visiting prince as he approached the dais. Spock dipped in a low bow and rose to find both Jim and the queen were presenting him with the ta’al that he returned with a soft, “Live long and prosper, your majesty. I am honored by your welcome and hospitality. I hope to be deemed worthy of it during my stay.”

“I’m sure you already are,” the queen assured him with a gracious smile. “This is my son James. From what I understand, the two of you are of the same age. He’ll be showing you the castle and its grounds and I hope the two of you will become fast friends.”

Jim offered Spock a brilliant smile that was met with the slight tilt of the Vulcan’s head. “I am sure that Prince James and I will become good companions.”

“You must be tired from your journey. James, please show our guest to his rooms so he can rest and refresh himself.”

“Yes, mother,” Jim leaned down to kiss her cheek, trying not to frown at how papery her skin felt beneath his lips, before turning back to Spock. “Follow me.”

Spock trailed behind him until they reached the hallway and then walked in time with his companion for the next few months to a year. “Prince James?”

“Just call me Jim, would you? I know I’m a prince without it being pointed out every other sentence. What should I call you? I’ll admit your full name is a bit of a mouthful for me.”

“You may call me Spock, James.”

“Alright. You were asking me something?”

“Yes. Are such extreme expressions of physical affection the norm in your kingdom?”

Jim paused to give him a confused look before responding, “What are you talking about? Me kissing my mother?”

“Precisely.”

“Then yes. That’s totally normal here. Do you not touch at all in Vulcan?”

“We touch. It’s simply not as commonplace as it would appear it is here. I believe I have only ever seen my parents indulge in such an action in moments where only my brother and I were present.”

“Brother? So… No sisters?”

Spock raised an eyebrow. “No. My mother and father would have negotiated a betrothal between a princess and yourself in early childhood if that were to be the case.”

James opened his mouth to express regrets, but tensed. The quick steps coming up on them from behind weren’t hard to identify. Spock glanced over his shoulder just as a man dressed in a finely made blue tunic rounded the corner and caught sight of them. “James Tiberius Kirk!”

A muttered a curse that earned another arch of an eyebrow from Spock was all Jim managed to get out before his ear was grabbed and he was dragged down the hall. Spock was startled into stillness for just a moment before he took off after them. He wasn’t sure exactly how he should react in this instance, but the two seemed to know each other and none of the guards lining the halls seemed to be paying them any mind so he kept his own council no matter how unconventional this occurrence may be.

“You damn fool! You go and get yourself hurt and then you don’t come see me right off? Are you tryin’ to lose your arm?! Are you tryin’ to get yourself killed from infection? Easier ways to do it, kid!”

“Bones I’m fine! I just got nicked!”

“Just got nicked my ass!” The man James had called Bones kicked open a door and pulled James in. Spock managed to slide inside before it was kicked closed again. Bones sat James down on a doctor’s cot and motioned at him with a frustrated noise. “Well? Go on, take it off so I can take a look. We’ll see how small this ‘nick’ of yours is.”

Jim glanced at Spock but shrugged and carefully removed his formal coat and dress shirt to expose a gash across his shoulder. From the look of it, Spock assumed it to be from a practice sword. After a cursory inspection and prodding, Bones tutted and turned to retrieve the proper tools. He stopped short when he finally noticed Spock’s presence and blinked in confusion.

“Who the hell are you?”

“Bones, this is Prince Spock. From Vulcan. Remember how I told you he’d be here for a while? I was trying to show him to his rooms when you decided I have too many ears and tried to yank one off.”

“Oh. Well this won’t take long. Just need to get it cleaned and wrapped and then you can continue on your way. If you’ll excuse me, my cleaning solutions are behind you.” He edged around Spock to grab a few bottles on the shelves behind him before returning to tend to Jim’s shoulder. As he poured a little on a clean cloth, Jim flinched in anticipation, earning an irritated scowl in return. “Jim, you know how this is going to feel so save your whining for someone who cares. Don’t get cut if you don’t wanna deal with it being cleaned.”

“But Bones!” He hissed as the cloth met his skin.

Bones rolled his eyes as he continued wiping at the cut, inspecting it closer as it became easier to see. “Knock it off. You’re a grown man, stop whining like a child. Just be glad I won’t need to stitch it shut.”

He rummaged through a cupboard and pulled out a few dried plants that he quickly crushed and mixed with a little water to make a paste that he smeared on the cut. Spock watched on with acute interest that went completely unnoticed by the man he now decided must be a doctor. From everything he had heard before arriving, this man shouldn’t be doing everything he was doing now. The plants he was currently using were, as he understood, outlawed by the church that governed the surrounding kingdoms. Foolish, but he understood the importance of religious dedication. 

“Are you done now, Bones?”

“Almost. Just hold still for a little while longer, okay?” Now that he could see how nonthreatening the wound was, his tone was calmer and his body more relaxed even as his attention seemed to narrow. “I just need to let that sit for another minute and then dry and wrap your arm. Keep it easy for a few days, will you?”

“If it’ll make you worry less.”

“It most certainly will not,” he grumbled as he washed off his hands in the basin by the cot, glancing toward where Spock was still standing vigil. A long, sweeping look from head to toe made Spock’s cheeks feel unusually warm. “Prince Spock, huh? I’m Leonard McCoy, physician to this idiot and her majesty the queen. And you, too, for as long as you’re here. I can’t do that hand thing y’all do in Vulcan, but welcome to our kingdom. Don’t let Jim pull you into his trouble while you’re here.”

All he could bring himself to give was a slight nod of agreement as he watched the doctor carefully remove the now dry paste and wrap the wound with a careful hand. Never in his life had he ever encountered such an audacious employee, and he wasn’t sure how to proceed. The nod seemed sufficient, however, and Leonard made a noise of apparent approval. “Good.”

“You all set with me now, Bones? I was kind of in the middle of showing him to his rooms.”

“Yes. I hear about you doing something like this and I’ll slice your arm off myself just to save some trouble. Do we have an understanding?”

Spock frowned at the threat. That had to be going too far, but James seemed to just shrug it off with a grin. “Sure, Bones. I’ll even come find you later this week to let you poke and prod at me to your heart’s content.”

“Fine. Get outta here. Good to meetcha, Prince Spock.”

“Making your acquaintance has certainly been… Enlightening, doctor.”

Leonard raised an eyebrow. “I feel like I’m being insulted, but I’ll let that go and assume it’s just that you’re tired from the road.”

“Yeah, that’s probably it,” Jim broke in quickly and gestured for Spock to leave ahead of him. “Let’s go, Spock.”

When they were both safely on the other side of the door, Jim turned to Spock and chuckled, “Well that could have gone better. Try not to get him too bothered, alright?”

“I fail to see why you permit your physician to speak to you in such a manner. He was extremely familiar with you and even threatened you with harm. Not to mention his use of methods I know to be against the religious doctrine acknowledged as paramount by your neighbors.”

Jim seemed more than a little confused. “Bones and I have known each other since I was born. He’s my best friend. His father was our family physician before he passed and as for the threats, that’s just how he says he’s worried. I’d be more concerned if he was nice to me, truth be told.”

“And the medicines?”

“Ah… Yes. Bones isn’t exactly what you would call religious. He has more than a few choice words for the church and its rules, and he does things how he was taught. His methods work, and that’s all we care about. That’s not going to be a problem, is it?”

“No. I find his methods to be logical. The science used in Vulcan is very similar, and we have experienced an extension of our lifespans because of it. I was merely curious.”

“Alright,” Jim nodded with a smile. “Here’s your room. Mine is that door down at the end of the hall if you ever need anything. Mother says our schedules are to be the same for the first few days while you adjust to the layout of the castle. I’ll come get you when it’s time for dinner.”

He nodded and entered his chambers. Looking around, he smiled to find that the room had been draped in the reds he was used to at home. The candles that flickered warmly made it easy for him to settle on the floor to meditate, but he found his mind repeatedly wandering back to the doctor. That tunic had truly brought out the blue in his eyes. Such an unusual color… And his accent was also strange. He made a mental note to inquire about it at a later time. Before he knew it, there was a knock at his door for dinner and he had spent nearly a full candle mark contemplating the strange behaviors of doctor McCoy instead of meditating. That was troubling, but not something he had time to ponder just now.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit of background for Bones in this chapter since I took a different approach to his first marriage given the setting. Plays into my weird love for old-timey medical stuff in the next chapter.

The next few weeks were spent following close behind Jim while he attempted to memorize the expansive grounds. He never would have imagined he would come across Leonard more than was strictly necessary in a professional capacity. For a doctor, McCoy seemed to be around quite often. He supposed this had everything to do with Jim saying the man was his best friend. Any time they sparred in the training yard, he could glimpse flashes of blue that he learned was Leonard pacing the upper walls, keeping an eye on them in case either of them got hurt. Jim didn’t seem at all bothered by it, but the hovering nature confounded Spock. How could a man of his position find the time to attend his duties and chase after the prince with such a single-minded intensity that bordered on impropriety? Aforementioned prince didn’t seem inclined to make it an easy task, either.

“James? Doctor McCoy is approaching again,” Spock advised. 

Jim liked to make a game out of seeing how long he could go dodging the doctor. He was pleased beyond measure to discover Spock was able to hear McCoy even before he did. “From which way, Spock?”

“The northwestern corridor.”

“Then we’re just going to turn around and go the other way!” He grinned and snagged Spock’s shirt sleeve to tug him around.

“We are meant to be in our lessons,” he reasoned. “Would it not be simpler to just encounter the doctor, endure whatever lecture he has for you today, and continue on our way?”

“Simpler? Yeah, probably. More fun? Definitely not. He gets this funny little pulsing spot on his forehead when he gets really fed up with me. And one time I got him so mad his face was red up to his ears! It was pretty cute.”

Spock released an almost inaudible sigh and followed. It was only a matter of minutes before they rounded another corner to run smack into Leonard’s chest. Such a small man shouldn’t feel so solid. He gave Jim a disapproving frown that traveled over to Spock.

His voice came out in a growl, an accent that Spock was unfamiliar with slipping into his words, “James you promised you’d come find me. Ya can’t just not take care of yourself like it’s some kinda damn game.”

“I am taking care of myself, Bones. I’m just trying to avoid you so maybe you’ll sleep more than a few candle marks. I’ve been using that paste stuff you gave me and everything. No infection, and it’s closed up nicely. I would have gone to you by now if there was a problem. Just… Go rest or something, okay?”

It was then that Spock became acutely aware of the dark circles shadowing the usually brilliant blue. He seemed to puff up with irritation instead of the grateful deflation Spock would expect someone to experience at such a display of concern.

“And what business do you have telling me about taking care? Fine! If your arm rots off, you can just keel over for all I care! And you!” He jabbed a finger in Spock’s direction. “What did I tell you about joining in on his troublemaking, you pointy-eared menace?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“You heard me. You enable him again, and we’re gonna have some words.”

“You know, I think I get it now. We’ll just get to lessons and you get some sleep, Bones!” Jim nudged at Spock to get moving and waited until they were out of earshot before he let out a groan, “Sorry about that, Spock. He really didn’t mean any offense.”

“It certainly seemed as though he meant offense,” Spock countered, tone dry and cool. A flare of anger had settled in his chest despite the infantile nature of the insult.

“He’s… Difficult that’s for sure,” Jim sighed with a shrug. “He gets so wrapped up worrying about me that he forgets to worry about himself. The insults are how he makes it seem like he’s tough and grouchy instead of keeping himself awake at night wondering if my mother and I are as healthy as we should be. Especially now since she’s, well… Not.”

“That seems completely illogical. Would he not be more effective as a physician if he were to care for himself properly?”

“Oh sure, but tell that to him.”

“Very well.” He turned on his heel and began making his way back the way they came.

Jim’s eyes widened in dawning horror. He took off after him and paled when he realized he wasn’t going to make it in time. The doctor hadn’t made it very far.

“Doctor.” Spock moved quickly until he was in-step with the smaller man. “It has been brought to my attention that I should directly inform you that the lack of care for your personal wellbeing is detrimental to your position at best and could lead to the death of a patient in the worst-case scenario. I would encourage you to rest now and I will ensure James maintains his health.”

McCoy stopped short and turned to stare him down with a scowl. There was a growing rage in his eyes that surpassed his usual irritation when dealing with Spock. “Oh has it ‘been brought to your attention’? Well you can tell Jim that he can shove that right up his ass. And I’ll have you know I’ve never lost a patient because I didn’t happen to get enough sleep and I don’t plan to start.”

“Be that as it may…”

“How about you turn your hobgoblin ass around and go on to your lessons,” his voice turned cold and the look he leveled at Jim who was now hanging back a few feet behind Spock could have razed the palace in an instant. “You come find me later, Jim.”

“I didn’t do anything! I was being sarcastic! I didn’t think he’d actually chase you down the hall and scold you.” He was talking to Leonard’s back now as he stormed off toward his rooms. “Dammit… C’mon, Spock. Let’s get going. I don’t want to be anywhere near him until he’s had a chance to work out his aggression on something a little less alive than I am.”

The gentle arch of his eyebrow was paired with a slight frown. “Surely he would never endanger you?”

“Endanger? God no. Never. He’s very good with those plants of his, though. He could knock me out cold without me realizing what happened until I woke up and found myself wrapped in linen strips. He says he saw something like that with a dead body once so he’s practicing so when I die, he can wrap me up and keep me as a cautionary tale.” He paused for just a moment. A look of realization overtook his features and he lapsed into sudden, uncharacteristic silence.

“Fascinating… He is a truly intriguing man.”

A small noise of agreement was Jim’s only response. He seemed to be very distracted as they wound their way through the halls and Spock left him alone with his thoughts. Even with having only spent mere weeks with the man, he had come to learn that would be best. 

The far-off look continued all the way through their lessons. It seemed any time he turned a page, he’d have to turn back after realizing he hadn’t absorbed any of it. Spock kept an eye on him. His own curiosity ate at him, but the man overseeing their studies expected total silence unless they were asking a question of him so he saved them until they were finally leaving.

“May I ask why you seem so distracted?”

“Hm?” His head snapped toward the sound of Spock’s voice and he looked at him as though seeing him for the first time that day. “Oh. It’s nothing. You go on ahead to the training yard I need to find Bones first.”

“If you are sure…”

“I am. Pike can train with you. Or Sulu if he’s not busy and training against someone different is never a bad thing.” The words were rushed and his pace was nearly a jog as he took off down the hall, leaving behind a befuddled Vulcan.

McCoy barely looked up when Jim walked in without knocking. A second glass of whatever alcohol the doctor was drinking was nudged near Jim’s assumed seat. He plopped himself in the char and took a swig; the burn isn’t as strong as what he usually drinks. From the looks of it, Bones had worked his way through the better half of the bottle while he was in class.

They sat in silence for what seemed like years before Jim finally spoke, “I’m sorry.”

“Got nothing t’be sorry about, kid,” he grumbled, voice slurring and accent growing stronger by the word.

“I forgot. With everything that’s been going on with mother, I forgot and then I took the piss outta you earlier. I’m sorry.”

“Can’t expect you to remember all my nonsense when you got so much on your plate.”

Jim reached forward and took the drink from McCoy’s hand. He followed it with a quick squeeze to his fingers, voice soft, “Losing your wife and child isn’t nonsense, Bones. I should remember no matter what’s going on. Now let’s put this bottle away for now, huh? And we can talk. I’m all yours.”

Without the drink in his hands, he didn’t know what to do with them. They went from folded in his lap to fidgeting with his fingers to drumming them on the desk in the span of seconds while Jim tried to figure out what to say next. What words were good enough for a situation like this? He busied himself with putting the bottle away and took a moment to toss the excess from the glasses out the window. When he settled back down, he just watched Bones fuss and fiddle with anything within his reach.

“How many years has it been?”

“About four years. Joanna would have been six next spring… Dammit… Just gimme back that bottle, would ya?”

“Yeah, I can’t do that, Bones. You know I can’t. Won’t. You’re not drinking yourself to death on my watch and you’ll just be more insufferable when you wake up sick. Talk to me instead.”

“I’d rather get eaten by a sand wyrm,” he countered dryly. “You didn’t get enough of me talking back then?”

“You didn’t talk back then either. You just stayed in here drinking for weeks.”

Silence reigned again and the two stared at one another. Jim seemed content to wait out Bones’ stubborn staring down of the floorboards. Muffled sounds from the training yard drew their attention to the window slits. They watched Spock slowly circle the ring of sand, fencing foil in hand. From the looks of things, he had taken up practicing with Sulu; they could see his back as he faced off against the prince.

In the next moment, the clash of metal on metal floated their way. Spock’s rigid stance faced off against Sulu’s fluid movements and Jim had to admit he was impressed. It took a lot of skill to even match their resident sword master. Jim glanced over at Bones and watched as suddenly bright eyes followed the action below. The furrowed brow suggested he was doing his usual hovering, but Jim had never seen this particular look. Interesting.

“I think he likes you,” he offered. “At least… He said you were fascinating earlier. And talks about you a lot.”

Leonard shifted his gaze to Jim for just a second before looking back out the window. “Not your best timing, Jim.”

“Yeah. Sorry. Just… Wanted to see if that would help I guess. Shit I’m awful at this. No wonder you never wanna talk about it with me.”

With a labored sigh, Bones settled back into his seat. “No you’re not. I’m just… Not good at this whole talking about my problems thing. You know that. And I’m… Still not ready. Probably never will be. Just sit and drink with me until I pass out, lay me on my side so I don’t choke when I eventually bring it back up, and don’t wake me up unless you’re dying.”

“You’re not drinking any more, Bones.”

Their budding argument was cut short by another commotion out the window. Jim turned to investigate. “Oh shit. Spock’s bleeding.”

“What?!” Bones jumped up and grabbed a few things before he bolted from the room, seeming suddenly sober.


	3. Chapter 3

It wasn’t bad. At least as far as Spock was concerned, it wasn’t bad. If Leonard was to be believed, however, he was going to keel over any second. He fluttered around the Vulcan cleaning the gash from where Sulu’s foil had broken the skin. Even Jim’s wound from a few weeks back had been worse.

Jim listened to Bones mutter curses to himself. He threw an amused look at Spock who seemed to be hyper focused on following the path of Leonard’s hands. It took him a few moments of deep thought, but he suddenly remembered something his teacher had told him about Vulcans before Spock had come to stay with them. There weren’t many telepathic species in the world, and Vulcans were touch telepaths; a fact he knew Bones would remember as soon as he was done stopping the bleeding. He had to wonder what Spock was getting from his curmudgeon of a best friend any time their bare skin touched. He made a note to ask him when Bones was done.

When Bones was done, he took a step back and looked Spock over with a critical eye. There didn’t appear to be any other sources of blood, so he grabbed his bag and started back toward his rooms while muttering, “Idiots need to let me mope in peace, dammit…”

The next instant found Leonard frozen in place as the realization hit him. Jim had to cover his mouth to hide the grin he knew would get him killed one day. He shook himself out of it and bolted back to his rooms without another word, and the second the doctor was out of sight, Jim broke down in a fit of cackles. 

Spock stared at him, face impassive. “I fail to see what is so entertaining, James.”

“He just remembered you’re a touch telepath. What did you glean from him?” The grin spreading across his face matched the mischievous gleam in his eyes.

“Nothing I would care to divulge.”

“Seriously? I could always just go ask him myself. I bet he’d tell me.” He frowned as he spoke, eying Spock with curiosity. “It’d just be easier if you did.”

“I would suggest you speak to doctor McCoy if you wish to know what he is thinking. I do not pry where I am likely unwelcome, but… You may want to consider following him. He does seem to be rather upset today.”

“Wait… Oh no. I need to go! Follow me if you want. I might need that Vulcan strength of yours to keep him out of the booze.”

After giving it a quick thought, Spock inclined his head in agreement. “Very well.”

They found Leonard back in his rooms after he managed to route through his things to find where Jim had hidden the bottle of alcohol. He was working his way through a glass when they walked in. An exasperated noise worked its way out of Jim’s throat as he yanked it out of his hands. 

“Dammit, Bones… You said you were done for the day. What if we need you for something?”

The look Leonard gave him could have seared flesh. “I’m not the only doctor here.”

“Well no, but you’re the most highly trained!” Jim countered. “What if M’Benga has to field several emergencies at once because you had to drink away your feelings, huh?”

Spock stepped in then. With quick movements, he grabbed at Leonard’s shoulder in one instant and in the next swept the unconscious man into his arms before he collapsed on the floor. He ignored the stunned look on Jim’s face and instead made his way further into Leonard’s rooms to get him settled under the quilts and furs piled on his bed. Jim trailed behind him, confused and more than a little curious about what just happened to his best friend.

When he came to the doorway of Bones’ bedchamber, he leaned against it and watched Spock get him situated. “What was that you just did? One minute he was spitting fire, next he was swooning like a maiden.”

“In Vulcan, pressure points are a common tool for a multitude of purposes. I merely rendered the doctor unconscious for a time so that his body might process the alcohol he has consumed. Granted, he will not be available in the event of an emergency, but I assumed that was hyperbole and your other physician is more than qualified to handle any issues that may arise.”

“Yeah, M’Benga is just as qualified as Bones is. I was just kinda hoping his sense of duty would override his mood.” Jim sighed. He rubbed at the nape of his neck before he got Bones situated under the covers. Spock watched the careful touches until Jim spoke up again, “How long does that last, anyway?”

“It depends on the person. I believe the doctor will be at least a candle mark before he wakes. We should remain until then in the event his body purges itself of the excessive alcohol.”

Jim nodded and pulled up a couple chairs and set a bucket beside the bed. Just as he was about to settle in, there came a series of swift knocks on the door. He swore under his breath and yanked it open. The servant that stood on the other side, hand raised to knock a second time, was startled by the agitated look on the prince’s face. 

She dropped her hand and fidgeted as she averted her gaze while Jim schooled his features back to some semblance of kindness. “Doctor McCoy is currently indisposed. Doctor M’Benga will attend to any illnesses and injuries that arise.”

“No, your highness, I’m looking for you!” She bounced on her heels, still adamant about looking anywhere other than Jim’s face. “Her majesty the queen suggested I might find you here and sent me to retrieve you.”

He groaned and rubbed at his forehead. “Alright, just give me a moment. Where is she right now?”

“Her majesty is in the observatory, sir. Will you need me to announce you?”

“That won’t be necessary. Not that I would mind being accompanied by such a lovely maiden.” He winked when he finally caught her eye and enjoyed the giggle that came with the pleased flush of her cheeks. She relaxed and finally met his eye. “Just let me make sure Doctor McCoy will be well tended in my absence”

She dipped into a polite curtsey. “Of course, sir. I will wait here.”

Spock looked up from his spot. He had moved his chair to Leonard’s bedside where he was watching the doctor sleep with that blank gaze of his. Jim had come to realize that usually meant the man was thinking or processing something he wasn’t familiar with. A grin crept up on Jim’s face that sent Spock’s eyebrow up into his hairline.

“Is something the matter, James?”

“Oh it’s nothing big, I bet. My mother sent someone to find me. Probably just needs me to oversee some paperwork or decree or something. You mind watching Bones so I don’t have to waste time finding someone? I should be back before he wakes up.”

“Very well.” He tipped his head in agreement. “I do hope nothing is amiss, and I will await your return.”

What should have been a few minutes stretched well into an hour. Jim was still absent when Leonard groaned and rolled over. The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was Spock seated less than a few feet away from where he had settled. He blinked his eyes back into focus as he registered his surroundings and sat up. 

His hand went immediately to his mouth in a futile attempt to stem the feeling of nausea that washed over him. “Ugh… What the hell happened? Where’s Jim?”

“James was called away by his mother. As for what happened…” Spock shifted and straightened his posture while McCoy eyed him, face full of suspicion. “I believed your argument with James to be pointless at best, so I employed a tactic used by my people to disable others peacefully. Are you feeling better now that your body has processed enough of the alcohol you imbibed?”

After staring for a few moments, Leonard sighed. “Yeah, I guess. I feel like I’m gonna paint the floor with my stomach contents, but that’s nothin’ new.”

Face still stoic, Spock regarded him carefully. Bones shifted under his gaze. He wasn’t sure how comfortable he was with such a blank looking face staring at him- particularly when he was still very much drunk. Spock leaned in, allowing Leonard to catch a whiff of whatever oils the Vulcan used daily. It had a spicy undercurrent to it with several notes Leonard couldn’t place; probably from some plant only seen in Vulcan. It was soothing. He had noticed it when he had bandaged him earlier that day, but had been more distracted by the surprising amount of definition there was to the man’s musculature. 

When it became apparent he wasn’t going to get any further answers from McCoy, Spock chose to break the silence, “You needn’t tell me why the day has you so agitated, doctor.”

“Oh needn’t I?” 

He learned in an instant that sarcasm was lost on Vulcans. “Indeed not. I gathered enough when you were treating me. Prolonged skin to skin contact allows me to feel the emotions and sometimes the thoughts of others.”

“Well that’s just what I need,” the growl was followed by Leonard pulling the blankets up over his head, his voice now muffled by the furs. “All I needed was for some weird telepath to get in my head and root around.”

“I did not ‘root around in your head,’ Leonard. I experienced a trace of your emotional turmoil before I shielded my mind from yours.” He leaned in as he spoke, eager to assuage the doctor’s concerns. “Your extreme emotions surrounding this particular day were clear, but I did not pry into the cause. I was merely assuring you that further explanation for your feelings are not necessary.”

Silence reigned for a few minutes before Leonard poked his head out from under the blankets and stared him down. The serene look remained in place as Spock returned the gaze. His brow furrowed and Spock raised an eyebrow as he watched the man process whatever thoughts he had floating around in that moment.

When he finished his thoughts, he sat upright and rubbed at his forehead. The sharp throb from the bottle of… Whatever the hell it was he chugged earlier washed over him with a sudden ferocity that sent him sprawling back against the downy mattress. “Dammit… Such an idiot. Alright lemme stop feeling like I’m going to vomit and I’ll tell you what’s going on.”

While he was curious, Spock was surprised the man would so readily open such a distressing topic for discussion. He waited in silence. Perhaps if given half a chance to change his mind, the doctor would do so.

The soft musk of the furs soothed him. Bones- when did he start thinking about himself as Bones, anyway? Damn that kid. He felt the pounding in his head abate until he could open his eyes again. After a few more deep breaths, he turned his eyes back to Spock. He wasn’t sure why he felt the need to tell this particular story, but he figured the man had seen enough to warrant an explanation. And what the hell, Jim already trusted him.

“I was married and we had a little girl. While I was here readying our new home a few years back- this was just after I accepted the offer from the queen, y’see- they both fell ill.” He frowned and turned his gaze to the ceiling, finding Spock’s level of eye contact uncomfortable. Every word was so bitter he could almost taste the tang of it in the back of his throat. “The black death hit the kingdom I’m from pretty hard, and my kind of doctor wasn’t welcome there anymore. Those damned fools with no training and the masks were the last living people my Jocelyn and Joanna ever saw. So much for ‘do no harm.’ Washing their damn hands would have done a world of good… Instead, they had men telling them to carry daisies under their noses to stay healthy and bricking up houses of the sick or setting fire to whole swaths of the city that succumbed to the sickness.”

“That sounds quite illogical indeed, doctor.”

“It sounds damn stupid is what it sounds like,” he spat. “It’s that fool church. People won’t bathe or even change their clothes regularly because it’s a sin to be naked! That sort of filth breeds sickness, but hell if you’ll get anyone acting like they have some sense.”

He continued to lay there and settled back into silence as he tried to calm his breathing. Spock watched him with concern. When Bones settled down enough to return his gaze to Spock, he was almost startled to find the man was frowning.

“What you describe is a most grievous lack of logic and reason, doctor.”

“Yeah well… That’s what churches do, Spock. They suck the reason right outta otherwise reasonable people.” Even after calming himself, the disdain that seeped into his words was palpable. 

“It does explain your greater than usual unpleasantness.”

“Excuse me?” He bolted upright and groaned at the sudden swell of nausea that washed over him. He didn’t miss the twitch of a smirk that replaced the frown when he doubled over the edge of the bed and emptied the contents of his stomach- still almost exclusively alcohol at this point- into the bucket he knew Jim left for him.

When he sat up again and wiped his mouth, the smug look of self-satisfaction plastered on Spock’s face caused him to glower. He tipped his head toward the doctor as he asked, “Are you feeling any better now, doctor?”

“I wanna say no and toss your hobgoblin ass outta my rooms, but yes.”

With an eyebrow arched, Spock leaned forward just again before responding, “James has informed me that such terms are meant to be endearments when coming from you, doctor. That if you were truly displeased with my presence you would merely tell me to leave then ignore me until I do.”

“Jim is a meddlesome walking accident who can’t keep his nose to his own business.”

They both turned to the door as Jim walked back in. He looked between them with a glint in his eyes that Spock couldn’t place. “Glad to see you up and at ‘em again, Bones. You gonna be okay now?”

“I was just fine before, kid.” The tightness of his own face softened when he noticed the genuine concern etched in every crease of Jim’s, however, and his tone followed suit. “Yeah, I’m okay Jim. Sorry I was such an ass.”

“Eh, you’re always an ass.” He waved him off with a smirk. “How about you take the rest of the day off and just rest? Without the booze. I’m gonna grab that on my way out. I gotta talk to Spock about some stuff.”

Bones nodded and got up to rinse out his mouth before he settled back under the furs. “Yeah, alright. I’ll see ya tomorrow, Jim. Spock… Thanks, I guess.”

Spock offered a curt nod and turned on his heel to follow Jim back out the door. Jim had the good sense to make sure the thick oak was secure before rounding on Spock with a wide grin. His leering was accentuated by how close he leaned in. “So what was he thanking you for?”

“For listening to him.” He stared the excitable blond down as he spoke. “He told me about his wife and child.”

The grin dropped and Jim straightened in surprise. “He what?”

“He explained to me why today is a particularly unpleasant time for him. Colored with profanity, of course, and more than a few disparaging words for the church of his former home.” He paused and took a moment to appraise the look Jim gave him. “This surprises you.”

“Well yeah, Spock. Hell, he hasn’t even told M’Benga or Christine about Joss and Joanna and he’s worked with them since he came here. You must have left a damn good impression on him. Speaking of… You want my help wooing him? He’s been eyeing you pretty hard, and you haven’t exactly been subtle in terms of Vulcan behavior.”

His next words were chosen very carefully. “If I were interested in the doctor in that manner, now would not be the appropriate time to ‘woo’ him. When one is grieving is an inappropriate time for another to express interest. If I were interested, of course.”

“Of course.” Jim’s amusement was palpable. “Well… If you were interested, I would say you should spend more time around him by yourselves. Maybe have someone willing to take off and leave the two of you to your own devices? And when you’re alone, you should express that interest plainly because Bones is willfully oblivious.”

“I will… Keep that in mind, James. If I discover that I am interested. Thank you.”

“Yeah. Just make sure you’re sure, okay? He’s had a rough time, and he deserves to be happy.”

“Yes, of course.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear, things will get happier eventually. I'm just notorious for setting up long stories with a bit of angst first.


End file.
